And the winner is...

THE Woman Independent Financial Adviser of the Year for 2003 was announced at a gala dinner in London last week.

The award, a contest to recognise excellence in the financial adviser community and encourage more women into the business, is in only its second year, but the competition was ferocious.

Of the 50,000 financial advisers in the UK only 2,000 - 4% - are women. Given the special skills of patience, tact, and family experience that women can bring to the role, it is an inequality that should disappear. The four finalists explain how they fought off the competition.

AT AGE 19, she became the secretary to the founders of a financial adviser company. Now Yvonne Goodwin has been crowned IFA Woman of the Year at a glittering ceremony in London.

Described by one judge as 'the person I would most like to be my adviser', Yvonne, 43, was clearly stunned by the award. 'I'm amazed,' she says, 'but really proud. It's nice to have someone independent tell you that you're good at your job.

'Obviously the raised profile will be good for business, but I will remain committed to my existing clients.'

Fiona Price, founder and chairwoman of Women's Independent Financial Adviser Group (WIG), says: 'Yvonne Goodwin is a shining example of how much you can achieve with a passion to make a difference to people's lives, dedication and true professionalism.

'She's an inspiration to any woman considering becoming an IFA.'

The four finalists, Yvonne, of Pearson Jones in Leeds, Kerry Houghton, Carole Nicholls and Caroline Keegan, were put through months of gruelling tests before facing one final hurdle to negotiate at the ceremony at Canary Wharf in London's Docklands last week - they were given two minutes to tell the audience the story of their lives.

For advisers more accustomed to listening than talking about themselves, it was a testing moment, and all four agreed that the competition had been nerve-racking.

To scoop the accolade, run by WIG, the finalists were first asked to carry out the financial planning for a complex case study, then they were tested on a range of financial services issues.

All four finalists said the competition had made a significant impact on their lives. Yvonne, who lives in Leeds with husband Lloyd, two sons and a stepdaughter says the experience of the competition-has boosted her self-esteem. 'In the job I do, you are gauged on whether you meet targets,' she says, 'and this has been a very tough year for business. This competition has made me feel much better about the way I do business.'

Carole, 52, of Nicholls Stevens in Bristol, said she had initially been reluctant to take part in the scheme. She says: 'You have to be quite brave to lay yourself on the line and say, 'I am good at what I do'. But having taken part, I realise I am well qualified, I am good and I can be confident about it.'

Kerry, 34, of James Hay Consultancy in Knutsford, Cheshire, is determined to encourage other working mothers to consider independent advice as a career. She says: 'There are so few of us out there, yet this is a career that can fit well round family life.

'Women in financial services tend to opt for sales jobs once they have children --they don't believe they can cope with the pressures of being a financial adviser, but they are wrong.'

Caroline, an independent adviser with Yorkshire Investment Group in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, said she felt the competition had helped her see the bigger picture. Caroline says: 'In the final round, we were asked questions about the more perplexing issues in the financial services industry. It's good to step outside your world and look at the wider picture.'

Yvonne was presented with a luxury holiday for two as her prize. Kerry was runner-up and also won the award for Best Communication Skills.